


A Quiet Night

by CrucioAndCoffee



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dom/sub Undertones, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, No Plot, bipolar!bellatrix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:08:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21633439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrucioAndCoffee/pseuds/CrucioAndCoffee
Summary: A snapshot into life for Alecto and Bellatrix. Sleep is a cruel mistress who avoids them both.
Relationships: Alecto Carrow/Bellatrix Black Lestrange
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	A Quiet Night

**Author's Note:**

> Just a thing I jotted down because why not. Mental Illness stuff again. 
> 
> CW: blood, scars, self-harm, bipolar disorder

Alecto shivers as her feet touch the slippery wooden floor. Winter is always a pain as her estate freezes over with the waters and grass. She pads around the bedroom, looking for her favorite jumper but to no avail. She glances around in the quiet. Bellatrix is missing, as well.

A sigh escapes.

Alecto throws on a plain black jumper from Bellatrix’s closet and knows precisely where to go. Ten steps down the hall and a sharp left turn later, she arrives at her study. She never uses it, claiming she’s too busy to need it, but Bellatrix often hides there when she has episodes. Sleep is a fickle and lying lover to them both, but it is the cruelest to Bellatrix. She never truly sleeps no matter what Alecto tries.

“Bella, it’s four in the morning,” Alecto says, unable to hide the sleepy slur to her words.

Bellatrix doesn't look up from the tome in her lap. “Hm? So?”

So that’s where her sweater went, keeping Bellatrix warm through the sleepless night. 

“You know I have a rule. You need to sleep.” Alecto chuckles, but the harsh circles under Bellatrix’s eyes calls out the concern in her voice. She curls a finger, beckoning Bellatrix to her. “Come to bed.“

Bellatrix stays quiet while clutching the tome. “I can’t,” is all she says—desperate and frustrated. 

Alecto knows that off gaze Bellatrix is giving the decaying parchment. Her anger is bubbling to escape with the twitch of her brow and lips. She knows that pained expression on Bellatrix all too well yet has no way to stop it. 

She has to ask. “New scars?” Alecto doesn’t care of her jumper is bloodied on the inside. That is the least of her worries.

No answer. 

“Pet,” Alecto says calmly but firm. 

Bellatrix merely nods in the silence.

Alecto stands in front of her and runs her fingers through Bella’s inky curls. “I’m not mad at you.” She tips chin Bellatrix to look up at her. “You don’t have to speak. Just follow.”

She leads Bellatrix back to their room. First, she pulls off the Hufflepuff jumper Bellatrix stole. “Stealing isn’t nice,” she teases.

Bellatrix looks away at the comment but remains silent. Her silver gaze cold and predatory, but only when looking at anything except Alecto. When it falls on her, it melts into a soft fondness the world didn’t believe Bellatrix knew.

Alecto thumbs over Bella’s arms, counting and inspecting the damage. This is just a mild snap and nothing too dangerous. None are as deep as they could be. 

“I’m going to clean them.”

Bellatrix just nods.

She dabs the wounds with a warm cloth and humming a soft tune—one Bellatrix often hums to herself when she thinks she’ alone. Most of the blood is dried, and the wounds scabbed over. Alecto kisses Bellatrix’s forehead, despite being too short of reaching it on her own. Her hand cups Bella’s neck and pulls her down to her lips.

“I’m sorry,” Bellatrix says quietly. There were only two people who’ve heard her utter those words: the Dark Lord and Alecto.

She puts a finger to Bellatrix’s lips and shakes her head. With a slight tug, she pulls Bellatrix to bed—into her arms.

“Rest, even if you can’t sleep. I'm here.”


End file.
